Freedom of the press in Ireland is not undermined by statutory recognition of the country's press regulator, its ombudsman has told the Leveson inquiry.

Unlike the UK Press Complaints Commission (PCC), the Press Council of Ireland is recognised in law by the country's Defamation Act 2009.

This means that newspapers and magazines covered by the Press Council are entitled to certain legal privileges when dealing with complaints informally and through the courts.

Professor John Horgan, the ombudsman to the Irish Press Council, told Lord Justice Leveson on Friday that newspapers view the legal recognition as "a necessary balancing" of the right to publish and complainants' right to redress.

The regulatory regime in Ireland is significant because Leveson has repeatedly indicated it could be a convincing model for press reform in the UK.

However, the most powerful UK newspaper groups – including the publishers of the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and the Sun – have strongly opposed any form of statutory intervention over fears it could curb the freedom of the press. Lord Hunt, the chairman of the PCC, and Lord Black, chairman of the funding body behind the complaints body, both told Leveson this week that fresh legislation would be abused by MPs and Lords "intent on clipping the wings" of newspapers.

Asked on Friday whether statutory underpinning did pose those risks, Horgan said: "No, for a couple of reasons. First of all because the limitations that could be construed as being part of articles of association and defamation regulation are limitations endorsed by the industry itself as a necessary balancing of the right to publish against the rights of others who might have been victims … of breaches of the code of practice."

Irish newspapers and magazines are not compelled to be regulated by the Press Council. But those who opt out of the watchdog face hurdles in handling legal complaints, such as having to satisfy the courts that they operate to the same standards as publishers on the Press Council.

Hunt said there were "some lessons to be learned" from the Irish system, but there were "considerable differences". He said there were potential benefits to the Irish model, such as enhanced legal protections for member publishers, but added: "I wouldn't advocate a perfect replication here."

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